High fees hinder European patents:
This article was originally published in Clinica
Executive Summary
High administration and translation fees are discouraging European companies from filing patents, reveals a survey by the European Patent Office in Munich (Germany). The EPO is keen to reduce the costs of patenting, particularly as small- and medium-sized companies have filed ever fewer patents in recent years. Fees are lower in the US (USPTO), Japan (JPO) and through national patent offices in Europe. The average cost of an EPO patent, including translation and administration fees is DM 45,510 ($32,000) says Nature (May 25th, 1995).